“When a government starts trying to cancel dissent or avoid dissent is frankly when it’s rapidly losing its moral authority to govern.”
– Mr. Harper, Canadian Press, April 18, 2005[Source]

Mr. Harper combines disparate issues into budget ‘omnibus’ bills in order to sidestep the normal and vital committee review process.[Source]

Mr. Harper has prevented civil servants and scientists from informing the public about key issues.[Source, Source, Source]

The “Fair Elections Act”, passed in 2014, was a fundamental change in how elections are run and supervised. It has made it more difficult for voters who do not have ID or who have recently moved to vote (roughly 120,000 voters in 2011 fell under this category). [Source, Source,Source]

The act also raised campaign fundraising limits, restricted third-party ads and muzzled the Chief Electoral Officer by preventing Elections Canada from encouraging people to vote.[Source, Source,Source]

In 2010, Mr. Harper directed conservative senators to kill the Climate Change Accountability Act – a bill that was passed by a majority of the elected House of Commons. The conservative senators called a snap vote without debate so that many of their opponents would not be present for the vote.[Source, Source]

Mr. Harper’s government has audited and threatened to review the charitable status and funding of non-profit organizations that have criticized the governments policies.
[Source, Source]

Mr. Harper’s government supplied Conservative Members of Parliament with a guidebook for causing disruptions within parliamentary committees, including delaying tactics, leaving early and coaching interviewees before meetings.
[Source, Source]

In 2004, Mr. Harper stated that “individual members of Parliament have the right to raise issues through private members’ bills, and to express their personal views or those of their constituents.” Once in power, Mr. Harper has silenced backbenchers.
[Source, Source]

Mr. Harper’s government passed a bill that made rare retroactive changes to parole eligibility that resulted in non-violent first-time offenders having their time behind bars changed after they had already been sentenced. The bill was found to be unconstitutional and contrary to the rule of law because it affected people before the law was put in place.[Source, Source]

Mr. Harper terminated the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, an internationally respected institution that had promoted democracy and human rights around the world for twenty-four years.[Source, Source]

Mr. Harper’s new anti-terrorism Bill C-51 is an affront to Canada’s Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Bill C-51 allows a number government departments and agencies to share Canadians’ private information, greatly expands the role of CSIS and allows the police to arrest individuals without a warrant if they believe the individual may commit a terrorist act without proper civilian oversight.[Source, Source, Source]